Table accessory for a toilet

ABSTRACT

A table apparatus for connection to a toilet bowl. The apparatus includes a clamp for connecting to a toilet-bowl rim. A longitudinally adjustable arm configured to extend from the rim of the toilet to a distal end above the toilet. A table top is attached to the distal end of the adjustable arm for holding common objects such as electronic devices, smart phones, electronic books, magazines, and the like.

BACKGROUND Field

The present invention is directed generally to a table for use with atoilet.

Description of Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,779, issued May 2, 1989 to Simms, entitled “Tablefor Toilet,” discloses a table for storing a roll of toilet paper with atabletop supported by legs at a height and an angle optionally usable byone seated on a toilet seat. The table shown in Simms stands separateand apart from the toilet, and requires floor space in the bathroom.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,983,493 issued Jan. 10, 2006 to Shaumyan entitled“Retractable Table Top for a Toilet” discloses a working surface for useby a person to place objects, such as a book, ashtray, etc. while seatedon a toilet. The working surface is secured to a wall adjacent to atoilet, and includes support rods secured to the bottom of the workingsurface that extend to the ground in front of the toilet to support theworking surface.

U.S. Pat. Application Publication No. 2009/0050770 A1 published Feb. 26,2009 entitled “Collapsible Bathroom Caddy” to Perlman discloses acollapsible caddy that includes boom for holding objects on a trayattached to the boom. The boom extends from a free-standing base thatrests on the floor apart from the toilet.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,439,533 issued Sep. 13, 2016 to DeCarlo entitled “ToiletStool Table Assembly” discloses a toilet stool table for use by a personseated on the toilet. The assembly appears to require mounting throughapertures located where the toilet seat attached to the back of thetoilet bowl. The assembly also includes arms to support the user.

Most of the above apparatuses are either (i) free standing furniture,which may clutter the often-confined spaces of a bathroom and cause theuser to store or move the furniture when not in use; or (ii) requireinstallation into the wall and/or the back of the toilet itself.Therefore, there is a need for an improved table apparatus for toilets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention and the following detailed description of certainembodiments thereof may be understood by reference to the followingfigures:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment a table for use withtoilet.

FIG. 2 shows a right-side view of the table.

FIG. 3 shows a lift-side view of the table.

FIG. 4 shows a front view of the table.

FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of the table.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The claimed subject matter is described with reference to the drawings,wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elementsthroughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation,numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the subject innovation. It may be evident, however,that the claimed subject matter may be practiced without these specificdetails.

Described is a table apparatus for use with a toilet. For example, FIGS.1-5 show different views of one embodiment a table for use with toilet.As shown in these figures, the apparatus may include: a J-shapedbracket, a fastening member, a telescopically adjustable tube section,and a tabletop.

The J-shaped bracket fits over and partially against the inside of a rimof toilet bowl. A substantial portion of the J-bracket also extendslongitudinally downward towards the base of the toilet, and restsagainst the side of a toilet bowl generally underneath the rim of thebowl. The J-bracket includes a fastening device for securing andmounting the J-bracket against the rim and side of the toilet. Thefastening device also includes the fastening member, which moves in ahorizontal direction generally perpendicular to the side of the toilet,and is configured to extend toward the portion of the J-bracket locatedon the inside portion of the rim of the toilet, and push against theside of the exterior surface of the toilet. When the fastening membermoves towards the exterior surface of the toilet, it causes the portionof the J-bracket located on the inside portion of the rim, to move inthe opposite direction against the inside of the toilet-bowl rim. Thefastening member when positioned underneath the lip of the rim of theexterior surface of the toilet bowl, and when tightened against theexterior surface of the toilet bowl, anchors the J-bracket to the toiletand the entire apparatus securely to the toilet.

The telescopically adjustable tube section extends longitudinally awayfrom the J-bracket at an angle relative to the floor. Fastened to adistal end of the tube section is the tabletop. Extending thetelescopically adjustable tube section will lengthen the overall heightof the tabletop relative to the floor. Conversely, contracting thetelescopically adjustable tube section will shorten the overall heightof the tabletop relative to the floor.

While the invention has been disclosed in connection with the preferredembodiments shown and described in detail, various modifications andimprovements thereon will become readily apparent to those skilled inthe art. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present invention isnot to be limited by the foregoing examples, but is to be understood inthe broadest sense allowable by law.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus to couple with an upstanding supportanchor, the apparatus comprising: a J-bracket comprising a shelf, acantilevered inner bracket leg depending from an inside end of theshelf, and a cantilevered outer bracket leg depending from an outer endof the shelf, the shelf to provide a load-bearing surface of a socketfloor, the floor being disposed in a plane that is vertically offsetfrom depending ends of the inner and outer bracket legs, theload-bearing surface to contact in compression against a top surface ofthe support anchor; a table leg comprising a proximal table leg endcoupled to the outer bracket leg to dispose a distal table leg end at ahigher elevation than the proximal table leg end when the apparatus isinstalled on the support anchor; and a table carried at the distal tableleg end.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: aclamp mechanism associated with the J-bracket, the clamp mechanism tourge the inner bracket leg toward contact with a first cooperatingsurface of the support anchor.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 2,wherein: the clamp mechanism comprises a rotatable element coupled to aproximal end of a threaded shaft, a foot coupled to a distal end of thethreaded shaft, and an intermediate portion of the threaded shaftreceived in threaded penetration through the outer bracket leg to permitplacing the foot in compression against a second cooperating surface ofthe support anchor.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: thetable leg comprises a telescopic portion to permit height adjustment ofthe table when the apparatus is installed on the support anchor.
 5. Theapparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a holding mechanismto resist change in length, of the telescopic portion, in a directionparallel to a telescopic length axis.
 6. The apparatus according toclaim 5, further comprising: an anti-twist mechanism to resist twistrotation of a portion of the table leg about the telescopic length axis.7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: the anti-twist mechanismcomprises a slot in a wall of a first telescopic member, the slot beingelongate in a direction parallel to the telescopic length axis; and ablocking element carried by a second telescopic member and disposed forreciprocation in the slot elongate direction, the blocking element tocause a structural interference with walls of the slot to resistrelative twist rotation between the first and second telescopic members.8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: the anti-twist mechanismcomprises telescopic inner and outer leg members with respectivecross-sections configured to permit telescopic reciprocation, but toinherently cause a structural interference to resist relative twistrotation between the first and second members.
 9. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, further comprising: an anti-roll mechanismoperable to permit or resist rotation of the table about a table rollaxis.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: acoupling mechanism between the table leg and the J-bracket, the couplingmechanism operable to permit or resist a vertical displacement of theouter bracket leg with respect to the table.
 11. The apparatus accordingto claim 2, wherein: the first cooperating surface of the support anchoris an inner surface; and the clamp mechanism comprises a brace memberoperably coupled to the J-bracket to create a structural interferencewith an outer surface portion of the support anchor.
 12. The apparatusaccording to claim 11, wherein: the structural interference is createdat an offset location disposed spaced apart from, and lower than, a lineof action of force applied by the inner leg to the support anchor. 13.The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein: a protruding length of thebrace member, between the J-bracket and the offset location, isadjustable to cause a desired vertical orientation of the outer bracketleg.
 14. An apparatus, comprising: a J-bracket defining a socketdisposed between inner and outer bracket legs, the socket beingconfigured to couple with the rim of a toilet bowl such that a socketfloor is placed into compression against a top surface of the rim; atable with a top surface; a table leg coupled at one table leg end tothe outer bracket leg and coupled at the opposite table leg end to thetable; and clamping means associated with the socket to apply acompression force to opposite sides of the rim.
 15. The apparatusaccording to claim 14, further comprising: means to adjust an anglebetween a table leg length axis and the table top surface.
 16. Theapparatus according to claim 14, further comprising: means to adjustelevation of the table top surface with respect to a floor elevation.17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein: the means to adjustelevation of the table top surface comprises coupling means disposedbetween the J-bracket and the table leg.
 18. The apparatus according toclaim 16, wherein: the means to adjust elevation of the table topsurface comprises telescopic table leg extension means.
 19. Theapparatus according to claim 14, further comprising: means to resistrotation of the table about a table leg length axis.
 20. An apparatus,comprising: a J-bracket comprising a floor, a cantilevered inner bracketleg depending from an inside end of the floor, and a cantilevered outerbracket leg depending from an outer end of the floor, the floor toprovide a load-bearing surface, the load-bearing surface being disposedin a plane that is vertically offset from depending ends of the innerand outer bracket legs, the load-bearing surface being configured tocontact in compression against a top surface portion of the rim of atoilet bowl; a table leg comprising a proximal table leg end coupled tothe J-bracket to dispose a distal table leg end at a higher elevationthan the proximal table leg end when the apparatus is installed on therim, the table leg further comprising a telescopic portion to permitheight adjustment of the table when the apparatus is installed on therim; a holding mechanism to resist change in length, of the telescopicportion of the table leg, in a direction parallel to a telescopic lengthaxis; an anti-twist mechanism to resist relative twist rotation betweentelescopically reciprocating portions of the table leg and about thetelescopic length axis; a table carried at the distal leg end; a clampmechanism associated with the J-bracket, the clamp mechanism to urge theinner bracket leg toward contact with an inner surface portion of therim, the clamp mechanism comprising a rotatable element coupled to aproximal end of a threaded shaft, a foot coupled to a distal end of thethreaded shaft, and an intermediate length of the threaded shaftreceived in threaded penetration through the outer leg to permit placingthe foot in compression against an outer surface portion of the rim; ananti-roll mechanism operable to permit or resist rotation of the tableabout a table roll axis; and a coupling mechanism between the table legand the J-bracket, the coupling mechanism operable to permit or resist avertical displacement of the outer bracket leg with respect to the tablewhen the apparatus is installed on the rim.